confidential
Not for sharing
Confidential describes information meant to be kept private or shared only with authorized people.
A confidential document contains sensitive material.
A confidential source provides information on condition of anonymity.
This is strictly confidential.
The word implies trust—breaking confidentiality means betraying someone who shared something in confidence.
Legal representative relationship
- privilegedHaving special advantages
- non-disclosureMandated secrecy obligation
- sealedClosed to prevent entry
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
mediation · deposition · discovery · privilege · waiver · breach · fiduciary · binding
Maximum security clearance level
- eyes-onlyRestricted to one reader
- restrictedLimited in scope
- clearancePermitted passage or approval
- need-to-knowAccess limited by necessity
compartmented · codeword · declassified · intelligence · dossier · briefing · debriefing · authorization
Restricted to certain parties
- intimateClosely personal or private
- secretConcealed information
- diaryPersonal daily record
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
trust · discretion · off-the-record · heart-to-heart · whisper · entrust · personal · sensitive
Officially removed from view
- encryptedTransformed into cipher
- watermarkTranslucent authentication mark
- shreddingCutting into thin pieces
- archiveStored historical records
filing · memorandum · correspondence · records · destruction · retention · handling · marking
Point of origin
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
- anonymousOf unknown origin
- tipsterOne who shares predictions
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
witness · protected · identity · leak · deep-throat · insider · handler · intelligence
Legally owned, restricted use
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- mergerCorporate combination
- acquisitionAct of obtaining something
- insiderOne with confidential access
embargo · financial · strategy · executive · shareholder · pricing · contract · negotiation
attorney-client
Legal representative relationship
- privilegedHaving special advantages
- non-disclosureMandated secrecy obligation
- sealedClosed to prevent entry
settlement · mediation · deposition · discovery · privilege · waiver · breach · fiduciary · binding · enforceable
top-secret
Maximum security clearance level
- eyes-onlyRestricted to one reader
- restrictedLimited in scope
- clearancePermitted passage or approval
need-to-know · compartmented · codeword · declassified · intelligence · dossier · briefing · debriefing · authorization
private
Restricted to certain parties
confession · trust · discretion · off-the-record · heart-to-heart · whisper · entrust · personal · sensitive · embarrassing
redacted
Officially removed from view
- encryptedTransformed into cipher
- watermarkTranslucent authentication mark
- shreddingCutting into thin pieces
archive · filing · memorandum · correspondence · records · destruction · retention · handling · marking · stamp
source
Point of origin
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
- anonymousOf unknown origin
- tipsterOne who shares predictions
undercover · witness · protected · identity · leak · deep-throat · insider · handler · intelligence · investigative
proprietary
Legally owned, restricted use
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- mergerCorporate combination
- acquisitionAct of obtaining something
insider · embargo · financial · strategy · executive · shareholder · pricing · contract · negotiation · bidding
- accessaccess, authorization, credentials, exclusive access, insider access
- confidentialsecret, private, classified, undisclosed, hush-hush
- redactedredacted, censored, blacked out, expunged, deleted
- classified inteltop secret, classified, classified documents, state secrets, military secrets
- Private InvestigatorsPI, private detective, detective agency, gumshoe, shamus
- Secrecy TermsNDA, trade secret, classified, secrecy, privacy
confidentialpublic
Available to all
open · disclosed · published · known · publicized
confidentialunclassified
Not assigned a category
declassified · nonconfidential · unrestricted · public record · open-source
- medical confidentialityProtected health information secrecy
- confidential informantSecret source for authorities
- confidential informationPrivate data requiring discretion
- confidential sourcesProtected information providers
- patient confidentialityProtected health information principle
- doctor-patient confidentialityHealthcare privacy protection
confidentially, confidentiality, nonconfidential, unconfidential